Running
by Fearless2
Summary: Everyone is running from something, so is this group of girls..
1. Time

Time is the indefinite continued progress of existence and events in the past, present, and future, regarded as a whole. Sometimes it feels as though time goes by too quickly. At least that's how it seemed to me. My real name is Erin, most of my friends (in Chicago) know me as Feisty, I was given that name by my brothers because of the way I act around guys. I lived in Chicago with my brothers for a while. I had three brothers: Liam, Sean, and Stephen. They were never mean but they were strict. They were involved in the Mafia. Alright, so they were a little more then involved. They were the head of one of the families.  
  
I mean hey..it wasn't their fault, it was my fathers. When I was little I was always jealous that my brothers got to help my dad. So when I became old enough to voice my concern, I did. I explained to my dad how it was completely unfair and sexist to allow my brothers to help, and prohibit me. My dad being the pigheaded man he was, did not oblige to my request. However when he croaked, I explained my predicament to my brothers, who immediately consented. Had I known what they had on their minds I would have backed out right then and there. But back then I was too naive and foolish.   
  
I had four best friends; named Colette better known as Storm, Melody better known as Bitter, and Jewel better known as Mix. They are still my best friends, and always will be. I had met Storm through my brothers. She was going out with my brother, and she was constantly over. So we had developed a quick friendship. Storm and I used to waitress and bartend at a bar over on Michigan Ave. We met Mix and Bitter there. The four of us became inseparable. We were constantly together, so my brothers made us a job offer. The offer was one we protested about, and complained about, but they money was a great. Our job was to seduce the enemy, and obtain as much information as possible. The only rule was that we could not develop any type of relationship with then enemy. The problem was I did.   
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"Its impossible, how could I have been so stupid? So dumb?" I asked, truly questioning myself more then my friends. They all were staring at the ground, unable to say or do anything to make me feel better.  
  
"Uh, Feist..why don't you just leave?" Mix questioned her face remaining emotionless.  
  
"What do you mean leave?" I asked, sure that my ears had misheard her remark.  
  
"Yeah..I mean... just go." Bitter suggested. Bitter and Mix had a very similar mind set, whenever things got tough, leaving was the solution.  
  
"Uh, I don't think so guys, I mean my brothers they got connections and shit." I looked over at Storm, her eyes were clouded over in concentration. Creases in her skin formed, causing her to look older than she was. "Storm you okay?" I questioned  
  
"Would you leave if we went with you?" She said looking straight into my eyes. She did that whenever she wanted me to answer truthfully.  
  
"Yes.." I answered looking down, feeling guilty. How could I make them come with me? How could I ask them to leave their lives behind? It wasn't fair to them.  
  
"Uh, Feist, if you haven't realized, we ain't all to thrilled at our lives at the moment." Mix replied  
"Yeah, I mean I would have to agree with Mix there, I hate it here." Bitter said voicing her opinion.   
  
I shook my head, "What are you guys talking about? Are you serious?"   
  
"Yeah we are." Storm said looking up from the ground.  
  
  
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	2. We thought it would never end

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I guess they were, because that night we were silently tiptoeing our way to the train yards. We took as little as we could. We each had a small duffle bag filled with our stuff. We asked the conductor when the next train out of Chicago was, he informed us that it was to New York.   
  
"Well, New York is as good as any other place, enough places to get into trouble." Bitter said sarcastically. We wandered around to the cargo boxes, we jumped in the car that looked the most comfortable.   
  
"Fuck, that hurt." Mix said when Storm stepped on her finger.  
  
"Oh, sorry." Storm said preoccupied.   
  
I looked at Mix, Mix looked at Bitter, and Bitter looked at me, we all knew what was going on in her mind. She was in love with my brother. I had tried to talk her out of coming. But she was persistent and would not back down. I sighed, I knew this wasn't a good idea, but I couldn't stop her. I tried. We all were really tired, I got as comfortable as I could in the box car and was asleep in no time.   
  
When I woke up there were not 4 girls in the car but six, which was very peculiar. I remembered only falling asleep with 3 other girls. I proceeded to wake Mix, Storm, and Bitter up. When I woke them all up, which was not an easy task, I pointed to the two new girls in the car.   
  
"Poke them with the stick over there" Mix suggested pointing to the stick.  
Bitter picked up the stick and started poking the girls. She poked the first girl; the girl's hair was tied back by a red bandanna, she had huge silver hoop earring, she looked like a gypsy. The girl jumped and whipped out her knife and was ready to fight. We all jumped back in surprise.   
  
"Holy fuck!" Storm exclaimed.  
  
The girl silently placed her knife back under her leg and patted it in reassurance. She stuck out her hand. "Gypsy..and you are?"  
  
I stared at her hand I was still in shock, "Oh, I am, uh.."  
  
"Her name is Feisty, and I'm Mix," Mix said shaking Gypsys hand "Over there is Bitter and Storm." She said pointing to the other two girls.   
  
"That is Illusion, me and her have been traveling together for years, we are now on our way to New York." She said kicking Illusion to wake her up.  
  
"What the..." She said staring wide eyed at the people surrounding her. Gypsy laughed, "Say hi to our friends Lusion."   
  
"Hi" She said meekly.We all laughed, Storm offered Illusion her hand, which she excepted.  
  
"This is Storm, Bitter, and Mix. And I am Feisty." I said regaining my voice and my dignity. I stuck out my hand for her to shake. She shook my hand and said "I'm Illusion, nice meeting you."   
  
The next few days seemed to pass in a blur. We all became best friends. We told each other nothing of our past, but we all knew that everyone had a similar story, we were all running away from something. We had been in the box car for 3 days, passing the time playing cards, learning new ways to fight, and just talking. We all had similar personalities, all of us had gotten into trouble, at least once because of our mouths or our attitudes. That's why we all got along so well, we knew not to take each other seriously.   
  
"Are we there yet?" Gypsy asked for about the hundredth time  
  
" I am going to slit your throat next time you ask." Bitter responded dangerously.  
We were all sick, physically and mentally. We wanted to get off the train as face as possible.   
  
Bitter had even said that she would rather wear a dress then stay in the box car. Which is very unusual for Bitter, since she doesn't tend to enjoy wearing dresses. Everyone was sick of each other, we wanted to have our own space, for a change. The train started to come to a stop. All of us raced for the door, we punched, kicked, and scratched, and even pulled hair to get out first. We threw open the door and all jumped out together. 


	3. New York! New York!

"AHHHHHHHHHHH" I yelled, everyone turned and looked at me, I had started dancing and singing.   
  
"What the hell is she doing?" Illusion whispered to Storm.  
  
"She's gone nuts." Mix said sarcastically, Bitter began dancing with me and then soon Storm started. In the next five minutes we were all dancing and hollering. All of a sudden we heard someone clear their throat. Mix stopped dancing and elbowed Storm, Storm stopped dancing and elbowed Illusion and then Illusion stopped and elbowed Bitter. Gypsy being the only one who had not been dancing, but looking around was now where to be found. I was the last one dancing until I realized I was the only one. I immediately stopped and looked at the ground sheepishly.  
  
" Are you okay? Are you from the nut house down the street?" He asked innocently. This kid could not have been older then 10.   
  
"Boo!" Bitter shouted in the kids face, he screamed and ran away. We gathered our stuff and began to walk off. Suddenly I was tapped on the shoulder.   
  
"Excuse me?" The kid said, tapping me on the shoulder a second time  
  
" What do you want?" I asked annoyed, who did this kid think he was?  
  
"Well, see you scared my little brother here," He said gesturing to the whinny kid "could you please apologize." I punched the kid in the face and walked away, I could hear the little squirt crying and I chuckled amused, and highly perplexed at the change in society. I already loved it here.   
  
We silently made our way down the street, not caring where we were going, as long as we got as far away from the station as possible. Suddenly Storm spoke up.  
  
" Do you know where we are going?" She asked me  
  
"Yeah, my brothers have some connections down here, they know me, they'll help." I said confidently  
  
"Do you know where it is?" Bitter questioned skeptically  
  
"Yeah, as a matter of fact I do. My brothers once told me about it. They work out of a bar called Moon Shine. Its at the beginning of the Brooklyn Bridge."  
  
We slowly made our way towards the bar, no one spoke, but a feeling of anticipation hung in the air. As we walked no one spoke of any feeling of regret about leaving Chicago, I was happy about it, I don't know if I could of handled anyones complaining. We saw the bar in a distance, but before you knew it we were there. 


	4. Connections always come in handy!

We saw the bar in a distance, but before you knew it we were there. We opened the door of the bar and we were welcomed with the shouts of angry drunk men. And the smells of alcohol, smoke, and sweat suffocated us. Bitter and Illusion headed straight for the bar ordering the two strongest drinks. Gypsy and Mix walked casually over to the poker game they had spotted when we walked in. Storm and I silently made our way to the door in the back. I knocked 3 times, kicked once, and knocked two more times. The slot on the top of the door slid open and a man peered out at us.  
  
"Well if it ain't a Silver and a girl, why don't ya come in?" He offered opening the door and quickly ushering us in. I sat down next to Storm on the big leather couch in front of the desk. The man sat in the chair behind the desk and threw his feet up onto the desk. I looked the man over, the scar that went from one side of his neck to the other was what caught my eye. This must me Patrick "Neck" O'Riley.  
  
" Now, what brings you my way?" He asked curiously raising an eyebrow.  
  
" Me and my girls need a place to sleep," I said "Know of any?"   
  
"Why kid, you running from something?" He inquired Before I could answer we heard two loud crashes come from the bar.  
  
"Shit" I muttered under my breath  
  
"Fuck" Storm echoed.  
  
We rushed into the bar in time to see Gypsy tackle a man much bigger then her and Bitter jump on some guys back. Both men were obviously drunk because they could not stand on their own two feet.   
  
"What the hell is going on?" I screamed. Illusion and I pulled Gypsy off the man who she know had pinned to the floor. And Storm and Mix tried to restrain Bitter from beating the shit out the man she had jumped on.  
  
" Alright, Storm stay with me, but everyone else outside." I commanded, in no mood for an argument.   
  
I followed Patrick back into the office. Before either me or Storm could sit down he answered our question.  
  
" You girls can stay at the Newsboys lodging house in Manhattan. Tell Cowboy that Pat sent you." he said not wanting anymore trouble in his bar.   
  
"Thanks." I said heading with Storm to the door. 


	5. Gotta make an entrance

Since we weren't your run of the mill orphans we decided we had to make an entrance. An entrance that would be remembered. Mix came up with the bright idea to dress up as monsters and run through the lodging house in the middle of the night. Since we all were just as crazy as Mix was, we were happy to consent to her suggestion. We searched alleys and trash cans for the "perfect" costume. When we were finally through with our search, we all were clad in a box, food in our hair, and dirt all over our bodies.   
  
"If I do say so myself, we are pretty scarey looking." I said sarcasticaly  
  
"No scarier then usual" Illusion replied  
  
"Who you calling ugly?" Bitter asked challengingly  
  
"No one," She said "Other then you." She added under her breath  
  
  
"I heard that." Bitter cried leaping and tackling Illusion. Lucky for her Gypsy was right by her side and pulled Bitter off of her.  
  
"Hey, hey calm down, no fighting you two." I said pointing to the two girls.   
  
"Yes mom" Bitter retorted sarcastically  
  
We made our way to the Lodging house, some how we knew where we were going, Storm always had the best sense of directions. When we got there, few lights were still lit.   
Perfect I thought, no one is awake, we hardly will be recognized by anyone. Everyone was having the same thoughts. Storm gave a little chuckle and we climbed our way up the fire escape and into the bathroom. We hid in the stalls until we heard the last person climb into bed.   
  
"On the count of three.." Mix said   
  
"One."  
  
"Two."  
  
"Three." On three we ran out of the stalls and through the bunk room, screaming and hollering, we would have appeared insane had you not known us before hand; which fortunate the Newsboys had not. I was caught in the stomach with a swift blow from some type of cane. I grabbed the cane and pulled the person who was attached to it toward me. He looked like he had just fallen asleep. I punched him quickly in the stomach and he released his cane as he bent over to regain his air supply. I took the cane, and peered around the room; I realized that all my friends were in the same predicament as I was. 


End file.
